Fall is finally here! This is a time of year that brings about much-anticipated holiday celebrations, seasonal activities with the family and pumpkin everything. The fall season also brings with it ARTober — National Arts and Humanities Month. The city of Santa Clarita marks this time to create and appreciate creativity with ARTober events and programming for all ages to enjoy.
ARTober encourages each of us to appreciate the arts and culture that make our city beautiful and unique. Many of our friends and neighbors in Santa Clarita have dedicated their lives to expressing art in different forms such as theater, painting, music, sculpture, writing and more. Let’s celebrate each of them by taking the time to explore the art opportunities around our city and to participate in upcoming ARTober programming! The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has not stopped or slowed city staff in developing a wonderful lineup of virtual, online and in-person ARTober events in which to engage throughout October.
Take a virtual trip to The MAIN during ARTober to enjoy exciting events like Stage On Screen (SOS) Theatre Fest, “10 by 10 Variety Night” and “You’re The Best” online talent show. SOS Theatre Fest features original performances based on the theme of social media, presented via Zoom. Tune in to the upcoming performance “Connections and Confrontations” on Friday at 7 p.m. to support our talented local actors! Additionally, if you’re a fan of storytelling, comedy, improv, music and more, don’t miss The MAIN’s recent “10 by 10 Variety Night!” You’ll be awed by a fun mix of 10-minute acts from 10 selected entertainers from around the world. Last, “You’re The Best” on Monday will showcase various unique acts competing to win a $50 prize. Join the show with your own special act or watch and vote on other amazing talents. Support and learn more about each of these events by visiting The MAIN’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/TheMAINNewhall.
Another great way to get involved in ARTober is to watch the ARTS Symposium New Heights Development Series throughout the month. The free ARTS Symposium invites artists of all skill levels and experience to participate in a series of educational conferences to help advance their career and skills in the arts. Conference topics to be discussed by a panel of experts will range from cinema to music, visual arts and more. Tune in every Saturday in October at Facebook.com/TheMAINNewhall for engaging discussions and advice on an array of art subjects.
In addition to virtual art opportunities, this ARTober, in-person public art opportunities are available to you as well! On Friday, Santa Clarita’s newest public art sculpture, California Scape, will be open for public viewing in Fair Oaks Park. California Scape was developed by Forma Studio, which consists of artists Sixto Cordero, Karen Kitayama and Luisel Zayas. The work is centered on the theme of reflection, focusing on the calm that comes with being in nature. The artwork is centered around a young elm tree that will mature with time, further enhancing the beauty of the park and sculpture. We are lucky to have so many beautiful and original public art pieces in Santa Clarita. Along with California Scape, you can find other public art, murals, sidewalk poetry and sculptures to explore at SantaClaritaArts.com/PublicArt.
The creativity, innovation and expression behind art should be explored year-round, but especially during National Arts and Humanities Month. I encourage all of you to experience the wide range of artistic opportunities throughout ARTober. Thank you to all of the artists and creative talents who have contributed to art events and programming in our community. To learn more about the remaining lineup of ARTober events, please monitor SantaClartiaArts.com/ARTober2020 for updates and new information.
Marsha McLean is a member of Santa Clarita’s City Council and can be reached at [email protected].
